The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1887-01-08


The startled citizen may now behold
That chancel draped with tattered banners fold.
On college-cupols the signals wave,
Directing p5vements of the armies vast;
In halls w'Iearning wars grim councils have
III conciave met where students had been classedi
And yonder from the elevation high
Lee views the scene, with ield-glass to his eye.
His piercing eye glanced keenly DER the field;
He saw his troops advance, stand, or retreat,
And in his mind what Thoughts then concealed
How planned he for conquest or defeatY
He sad, but resolute the danger knew,
And stood like BOnaparte at Waterloo.
The wild flowers bloom where the dead hero lies
Blown by soft winds they droop upon his brow
Nature entwined, as if to sympathize
Her fern leaves green and roses white as snow;
And so he rests-the sod beneath his head,
A leafy canopy upon him spread
Seel there the dying soldier calmly lies,
Nor seems to dread the coming on of death.
The light of life is fading from his eyes
And quick and htlul is his dying breath,
And his last thoughts far from the battle roam,
To wife and children and a cottage home.
And he is looking with an earnest gaze
That sparkle brighter when it cleared the haze
From the blue sky, and naught their brilliance
mars,
His eyes regain their lustre when they sec
The image of his own dear family.
He holds the likeness till his arms no more
sustains the hand that falls above his heart;
And there it rests when nothing can restore
The hues of life that from his face depart,
The picture clasping in his last long sleep
A scene to make the stoutest pause and weep
His wife and children in their vine-clad home
By the blue Juniata nestled are.
They fondly hope that soon the time will come
When he returns in safety from the war.
The patient mother plies her household care;
The children gambol or her labors share.
Severely woundly, two brave soldiers lie,
Patiently bearing the agony of pain
One wears the blue, the other wears the gray;
One from the North. one from Southern Plain
And see no longer enemies, they're seen
Refreshing drink to share from canteen.
The night is on the field and what scene
For contemplation Living and the dead
Together beneath the leaty screen
oftrees. There lag the rider and the steed;
.seSii gg9aeus in meadows, fields are strown
The scattered fragments, by the moonbeams shown,
There the lone sentry in the darkness stands
Close by rock, and watches with keen eye.
Ha! what is that? He sees two moving hands,
A CLEAN of steel, start a muaied cry,
And then two flashes like lightning glare
Two sharp reports ring out upon the air.
Such aspects, various, the battle took,
When sable shadows fell upon the scene =
The cannon's jar that mountain bases shook;
The single rile-crash and saber-sheen;
TIL impetuous charge, the shock offiercest fight;
The lonely duel in the dusky night.
How awful is the time The Changers loud
Are sounding with dread continuous roar.
Who, who can rest when sounds, repeated. crowd
Upon the ear from enginery of war
When bombs are flying through the air. or fall
With fell explosion in the cottage hall.
The gentle lady in her chamber seeks
Relief from fear in the embrace of sleep;
She sinks in soothing slumber, startled wakes,
Hears the loud peal and sees reflections sweep
Over the wall, as in q summer night
The lightning flashes with glim ring light.
There is the awful wreck of battle; there
The sick, the wounded, feyer-fushed, or pal e,
The nick'ring lantern and the torch-light fare
Reveal weird, wild scene through smoky air,
And Charity pursues her work ofloye
Like some pure spirit from the realms above
There Mercy. radiant with grace benign,
BENDS to her mission meath the dusky shroud.
1ike the bright sunbeams that in splendor shine
Through the dark fragments of the thunder-cloud
Serene compassion on her brow appears;
Her hand the cup of consolation bears
Angel Of sweet condolencel Woman there
Is seen among the terrors Of the place
with look of pity and consoling prayer,
The smile OF genteness upon her tace,
Blended with tears, as on the lova}S flower.
Gseeii the sunshine through SentIe shower.
y thu draucht oEszG1 Hing water; she,
fevered brow.